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Michelle Obama Pushes For Hollywood Support Of Military Families

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (CBS) — First lady Michelle Obama took time off from a fundraising trip to the Southland Monday to encourage Hollywood writers and producers to help in her initiative to raise awareness of military families by telling more stories about them.

She addressed members of the writers, producers, directors and actors unions at the Writers Guild Theater  in Beverly Hills.

"Be creative. Be funny. Be powerful," Obama said. "Move us. Move America to think differently about these
families that serve America so graciously."

Obama and Jill Biden -- wife of Vice President Joe Biden -- co-founded Joining Forces, an initiative aimed at encouraging support for military families and recruiting volunteers to help them.

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"I want the conversation to be different," the first lady said. "I want the military families to feel the support on the ground. This isn't about empty words or deeds. This isn't about politics."

Obama said she hopes Hollywood will show the sacrifices made by military families and how others can help in the "forever battle" to respect and thank military service members.

For more information on community and public outreach resources, visit Joining Forces.

(©2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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